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WORLD NEWS Saturday 4 January 2020
Russia halts oil supplies to Belarus in push for closer ties

By YURAS KARMANAU plot by Russia to swallow
Associated Press up Belarus. Those concerns
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — have been fueled by Rus-
Russia has halted oil sup- sia's 2014 annexation of
plies to Belarus as talks on Ukraine's Crimean peninsu-
strengthening economic la and its support for sepa-
ties remained stalled over ratist insurgents in eastern
concerns that Russia could Ukraine.
effectively swallow up its Before relations soured
neighbor. completely with Ukraine,
In a case that has echoes Russia had likewise used
of Russia's relationship with energy supplies as political
Ukraine before it annexed leverage to keep the coun-
the Crimean Peninsula, Be- try in its economic orbit and
larus' state-owned oil com- from developing closer ties
pany said Friday that Mos- with Europe. There also
cow has stopped supplying has been speculation that
crude until contracts for this Putin, who has been in
year are drawn up. Belarus' power for nearly two de-
two main refineries were cades, could contemplate
operating at low capacity, In this file photo taken on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and a merger with Belarus as
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walk before a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian
running on reserves. Economic Council in St. Petersburg, Russia. a way to stay at the helm
Russian oil company Associated Press of the new union state of
Transneft confirmed the Russia and Belarus after his
suspension, which does not sia. And it has been has that Belarus should accept economic integration with current Russian presidential
affect oil transit to Europe been relying on discounted closer economic integra- Belarus, and Lukashenko in- term expires in 2024.
or the supply of natural gas. prices and loans from Rus- tion if it wants to continue sisted he would not sign off Lukashenko repeatedly re-
Later on Friday Belarus sia for more than a quarter receiving energy resources on the integration until the jected the idea, vowing
suspended its oil exports, century. But it has one point at Russia's domestic prices. issues with oil and gas sup- that his country would nev-
which contribute up to of leverage: Russia de- Russian President Vladimir plies were resolved. er become part of Russia.
20% of annual GDP. State- pends on Belarus to ship oil Putin and Belarusian Presi- In late December, Lukash- "Russia has started to
owned oil company Bel- to wealthier markets in the dent Alexander Lukashen- enko ordered his govern- strong-arm Minsk by trying
neftekhim said there were rest of Europe. About 10% ko held two rounds of talks ment to look for alterna- to get Belarus' Soviet-style
enough reserves to cover of Western Europe's oil sup- in December, but failed to tive oil suppliers, though in economy off its oil needle,
the country's needs. plies come from Russia, via reach an agreement on practice that will be diffi- but Lukashenko is fighting
Belarus relies on Russia for a pipeline transiting Belarus. deeper integration and on cult considering the coun- really hard, as he doesn't
more than 80% of its over- The Kremlin has recently in- oil and gas prices. try's near-total reliance on want to become a Russian
all energy needs, including creased pressure on its ally, Putin said Russia was not Russia. There are concerns governor," said Alexander
gas. Over 90% of its crude raising energy prices and ready to "subsidize" energy in Belarus that the eco- Klaskovsky, a Minsk-based
oil imports come from Rus- cutting subsidies. It argues supplies without a closer nomic discussions are a political analyst.q

Taiwan defense officials meet after crash kills top officer

Associated Press search and rescue opera- were among the five survi-
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Tai- tions. Thursday morning's vors. The crash, which is un-
wanese President Tsai Ing- crash in forested mountains der investigation, is not ex-
wen convened a meeting outside the capital Taipei pected to affect the hold-
of top defense officials and killed eight people, includ- ing of the election, which
urged them Friday to be on ing chief of the general Tsai is highly favored to win,
a lookout for military devel- staff Gen. Shen Yi-ming. A but will require an urgent
opments concerning Chi- former pilot and air force reshuffling of top military
na following a helicopter chief, Shen, 62, had since staff. Questions have also
crash that killed the island's July been largely respon- been raised as to why so
top military officer and oth- sible for overseeing the self- many high-ranking officers
er prominent personnel. governing island's defense were aboard a single flight.
In a tweet, Tsai said the against China. China threatens to use
morning conference fo- "The best way for us to hon- military force if necessary
cused on ensuring military or the memory of the fallen to annex what it considers
morale, security in and is to ensure Taiwan's secu- part of its territory. A vacu-
around the Taiwan Strait rity and maintain military In this March 7, 2019, file photo, Taiwanese top military official um within Taiwan's military
and the importance of morale," Tsai wrote. Shen Yi-ming salutes as he is introduced to journalists during a leadership could embold-
"complete equipment in- In a video handout from press conference in Taipei, Taiwan. en it to step up its military
spections." the Presidential Office, Tsai Associated Press intimidation.
The meeting followed the is shown asking officials in- ments to ensure security Others killed in the crash Shen's death comes as Tai-
grounding for inspection of cluding the defense min- across the strait," Tsai said. included both pilots, the wan's military is undergoing
Taiwan's 52 UH-60M Black ister to "please be vigilant The helicopter's flight data deputy head of the Politi- a substantial upgrade with
Hawk choppers belong- and pay close attention recorder was recovered on cal Warfare Bureau and the the arrival of the most ad-
ing to the air force, the to military developments Friday morning and, if it was deputy chief of the Gen- vanced version of the U.S.
army and the National Air- around the Taiwan Strait." not damaged, an analysis eral Staff for Intelligence, F-16V fighter jets, along
borne Service Corps., the "We need to respond quick- should be completed with- while two lieutenant gen- with tanks, missiles and im-
agency responsible for ly to any military deploy- in 24 hours. erals and a major general proved military software. q